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Detroit, MI

Detroit is like any other post-apocalyptic city except that instead of zombies they got themselves some hipsters. Across the abandoned landscapes (whole city blocks with nothing more than a bunch of crumbling buildings and maybe one decent brewery) they nest, biding their time before the next art gallery moves in.

Greek Pride parade in downtown Detroit

Along the waterfront on Detroit’s People Mover

Our digs in Detroit. We were a bit nervous moving in and then quickly fell in love with the artist loft.

Our view off the back deck

Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood which at one time was home to thousands of Irish immigrants escaping the potato famine. Today it is home to a distillery, a great Udon noodle place, a used record store, and other similar fun places.

Detroit’s pretty cool. Never thought I would say that. For two nights we crashed in the upstairs of a former bar that has since been converted into an artist’s loft. Our landlord was next door in a former bank with windows only on one side of the building. From the street it all looked just another couple of abandoned buildings sitting in the ruins of a once great city.

The Conservatory located on Belle Isle Park. Belle Isle Park’s main attractions (which include the country’s oldest aquarium, the conservatory and a nature museum) are only open a few days a week. So mostly tourists wander the island to gawk at building they are not allowed to enter.

In 1950 Detroit had approximately 1.8 million citizens. Today there are a little more than 650,000 people remaining in the city. That type of wholescale flight is going to leave a few empty buildings (by most counts at least 70,000). And into this void come the artists, urban planners, chefs, urban farmers and other dreamers all looking to lay claim on a new vision.

They got tourists too. Some wander off to the obvious sites like the former Motown Studio and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Others roam the hinter land in search of art, food, used records and the other necessities of life. We did a little bit of both and cannot wait to return to take in some more. Long live Detroit.

One of the most impressive museums in the world, the Detroit Institute of Arts houses Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” frescoes as well as collections from both European masters and more contemporary artists.